Harry Potter and His Guardians
by Padfoot-Moony-Pronglet
Summary: Harry's guardians, Sirius and Remus, and their life from end of third year onwards. Details Dursleys abuse & Umbridge's detentions. Not explicit. Sirius and Remus guardians. One shot. Disclaimer - HP belongs to J.K. Rowling. R


Harry had been happily living with Sirius and Remus at Number 12 Grimmauld Place during his summer holidays of every year since his third year. Sirius had been freed, as Pettigrew was caught temporarily, and Sirius' innocence was acknowledged. Pettigrew had been seen by the Minister, and a couple of Aurors who the Minister absolutely refused to enter the castle without. However, they did not take enough precautionary methods to detain Pettigrew, and on the journey to Azkaban, managed to escape, while still on land.

Sirius had at once been given the Ministry's pardon, received a large sum of money from the Ministry for his undeserved years at Azkaban, and was able to make certain requests. One such request was guardianship of Harry. Harry had been thrilled to learn he would not have to return to the Dursleys. Sirius gave Remus partial guardianship, though Sirius was the primary guardian, due to Remus' werewolf status.

During the following summer, Harry's guardians managed to convince Harry to disclose of the reasons as to the lack of relationship between his relatives and himself. They were shocked to hear the extent of the abuse, verbal and physical, and that Harry had not divulged this to a person of authority. They had been shaking with anger, which they managed to eventually rein in, to comfort Harry, and reassure him that they had been in the wrong.

The Dursleys had verbally abused Harry, and Harry's friends had been privy to this information. However, what Harry, had kept hidden was the physical abuse, which had begun ever since the Dursleys received Harry's letter to Hogwarts. Though Harry had not known the contents of the letter, he had been severely _punished_ for it. Previously it had been a slap here or there, and neglect, sometimes starvation, yet that had been the extent of it, though this in itself was horrible enough.

After each year at Hogwarts, it got worse, particularly after his first year, with the incident that Dobby had set into motion. After that it had gotten much worse. Harry had not realised it, but his magic had come into play unconsciously, and his injuries healed themselves, to an extent. The other injuries, Harry, managed to cover subconsciously. Even Harry himself was sometimes unaware of the extent of his physical state.

Once Harry reached Hogwarts, he managed to heal the rest of his injuries, the ones that his magic had not been able to heal. No teacher had ever suspected or questioned him about his home life, and Harry left it that way. They all saw him as a hero, and he did not wish to disappoint them in any way. He was also greatly ashamed of what had occurred, and in Harry's mind, _what he had let happen_.

Ron and Hermione knew of Harry's lack of caring relatives, and how they withheld food from him, and the verbal abuse he suffered, but other than sending him parcels of food which Harry kept hidden, he did not divulge anything else to them.

At the end of the third year, however, when Sirius had voiced how Harry had the option of living with him, Harry had accepted immediately. At the time, Sirius had not questioned it, with the events following it. It had been the full moon, and Remus had not taken the Wolfsbane potion. However, Pettigrew had been placed in a cage, with charms preventing him from transforming into a rat, and thus could not escape without a wand.

Later, though, during the summer of that year, Sirius brought it up hesitantly with Harry, and with Remus present. Harry had frozen up, not being able to say anything. Though Harry did not realise it, whenever the subject of the Dursleys was brought up, he withdrew into himself. His eyes would reflect the sadness and pain he had suffered at their hands, but overtime, Harry had managed to maintain a blank, expressionless face instead. He also attempted to curl into himself, though unless one was looking attentively they would not recognise this.

They were seated on the couch, Harry in the centre, with each of his guardians on either side.

"Harry?" Remus asked, tentatively.

"I just didn't get along with my cousin, that's all." Harry said quietly.

Sirius and Remus exchanged worried glances with one another. Harry would not react in this way had that been the truth.

"Harry, that can't be all. I know you, and unless it is something serious you wouldn't behave like this. You can tell us anything, and we will listen, I promise," Sirius assured Harry. Though they had only known each other for a few weeks, they had quickly established a close relationship.

"It's nothing," Harry tried. He was beginning to get desperate, trying to dislodge their suspicions, but in his attempts, he only convinced them more that something was very wrong.

"Harry," Remus said in a gentle, firm tone, "I can tell there is more to what happened while you were under their guardianship, but believe me when I say, you will not return there. I know you weren't very happy there, not to mention you are very short and underweight for your age. Please, you don't have to tell us now, but don't try to hide it. It will be a relief to tell someone, though. I would know."

"They – I – it's nothing I didn't deserve," Harry admitted quietly.

"What happened, Harry? I find that incredibly difficult to believe, and I've known you for a few short weeks." Sirius said, while Remus moved closer to Harry, and placed his arm around Harry. Harry unconsciously leaned into the loving touch, having been deprived of it for long years at the Dursleys. Every time Sirius or Remus had comforted him through touch, he had accepted it eagerly, enjoying it after being deprived so long.

"They never cared for me, locking me up time to time, when I was being a nuisance – I know it was my fault – but sometimes it was really bad. When Uncle Vernon was especially angry, it was more painful. I could handle the cupboard, even when they forgot me and didn't give me a lot to eat, but the punishments were worse, they hurt so much more. I know I deserved them, and that complaining isn't going to do anything, but I never liked it there. Even when I tried to be good, I would somehow make them angry, and then I would be in the cupboard again." Harry let out in one big burst. He had rambled a little, and was extremely nervous at his guardians' reactions, but they had kept asking, and he couldn't lie to them, not after everything they did for him.

Harry looked up reluctantly, not wanting to see their reactions, but not being able to stopper the curiosity. Remus' arm on his shoulder had tightened unconsciously throughout Harry's confession, though Harry barely realised. Sirius was barely controlling his anger, as was Remus. Remus' eyes were flashing from brown to gold, constantly.

"Cupboard?" Remus growled out through gritted teeth.

Simultaneously, Sirius yelled furiously, "THEY DID WHAT?"

Harry cowered slightly, and curled his legs up under himself subconsciously. He placed his head on his knees, and his muffled voice could barely be heard as he answered Remus' question, "The cupboard under the stairs. I lived there until I got the Hogwarts letter. The letter was addressed to 'the cupboard under the stairs' so the Dursleys grew scared that someone was watching us, and moved me into Dudley's second bedroom."

Glancing carefully at Harry, Remus recognised Harry's position as one of protecting himself, and reined in his anger as best he could, while giving a warning look to Sirius.

"Harry, they starved you? _Punish_ – Wait, _Harry you did not deserve what they did to you._ They are at fault, they are the ones in the wrong, you have done nothing!" Remus started gently, and then realising exactly what Harry had said previously, his tone had changed automatically to convincing.

Sirius snapped out of his anger when he heard Remus' voice become intense while trying to convince Harry it wasn't his fault. "Harry! Of course it isn't your fault! They are going to _pay_ for what they did, but under no circumstances can you blame yourself! Whatever they said was a lie. What exactly did they _punish_ you for?" Sirius asked, spitting the word 'punish' as if an expletive.

"For not getting my chores done on time, for burning their food, for running from them or making a noise during a punishment." Harry, who had looked up at the reassurances, once more, laid his head to rest on his knees, ashamed of his own perceived wrong doings.

"I AM GOING TO KILL THEM!" Sirius shouted out, not realising his increased volume had caught Harry off guard, and therefore causing him to cower into himself.

Remus felt Harry tense further, and glared at Sirius, and then proceeded to comforting Harry by pulling him onto his lap and whispering reassurances. Harry didn't resist, loving the contact and comfort his guardian provided.

Once Sirius had calmed down, they had asked Harry a couple of questions to which he answered, and then fell asleep, emotionally exhausted. Harry remained in Remus' lap, while Sirius and Remus conversed quietly with what they had learnt. They were both infuriated at what their charge had endured, and kept quiet about. They also were both aware of Dumbledore's part in this. It was publicly known that Dumbledore had been in charge of placing Harry in a _safe, loving environment_.

The rest of the summer proceeded with Sirius and Remus caring and loving Harry as if he were their own son, and reassured him when it was needed. Harry enjoyed the summer as it was the best few months of his life, even including Hogwarts. Though he had friends who cared deeply for him there, he did not have the family support he so needed and wanted.

Sirius and Remus also provided Harry with defensive skills as it was an unspoken belief that it was required. As they had currently been occupying The Noble House of Black, with all the security, charms and spells placed around it, from Sirius' family and Dumbledore, when they first arrived, as additional precautions, the Ministry of Magic would not be notified if Harry used magic.

Harry's fourth year had been hectic, with Harry's participation in the Triwizard Tournament. Harry had been forced to participated as a result of the magically binding contract that was involved when entering one's name into the Goblet of Fire, even if the person entered had not done it themselves. Sirius and Remus had been furious at Dumbledore, though, it was not completely his fault.

Throughout the year Sirius and Remus visited frequently, particularly during the Tasks of the Tournament. When they realised that Harry had been concentrating too much on working out the clues of each Task to take adequate care of himself, they continually reminded him to do so, with a mirror Sirius gave him. They stayed in contact with that mirror that had previously belonged to James, Harry's father, and Sirius and Remus' deceased best friend. All one had to do was speak the person who had the other mirror's name and they would appear if the mirror was on their person.

Harry talked to his guardians on an almost daily basis, in which they constantly reminded him to look after himself. When they realised that despite their warnings, Harry was still wearing himself down, they took Hermione to the side during one of the Tasks, and asked her to make sure he ate as much as he should, and slept enough.

During the Third Task, when Harry and Cedric had disappeared due to the Triwizard Cup portkey, Remus and Sirius were frantic, desperately hoping that Harry would return safely, and that he would not be injured. They had been exceptionally relieved when after a long three hours, both of them had returned with the portkey in Harry's hand. That relief had been dissolved immediately when they realised what Harry had endured and the state he was in. He had been injured severely, and the other older student, Cedric Diggory, had been dead. Both guardians frantically took Harry carefully to the hospital wing immediately, seeking medical help for their charge.

That summer, both guardians had become much more overprotective than the previous summer, though that was expected. The summer after third year, Sirius and Remus had showered Harry in constant love and affection, as if it remedy the lost years of being deprived it. The summer after fourth year, however, they were extremely protective over him, as the return of Voldemort and the depression Harry had fallen into, as a result of the events that had occurred in that graveyard, the night of the Third Task.

Sirius and Remus spent many nights comforting Harry after realising his constant nightmares that he suffered since the Third Task. At first, Harry had taken to using silencing charms, as he had fallen into the habit of doing at Hogwarts, but Sirius had come to check on Harry once during the night, and realised the extent of the nightmares after rushing into the room and hearing Harry's screams. From then on they had banned silencing charms, and as an added precaution used a spell to notify them if a silencing charm was placed on Harry's room.

Harry had been thoroughly chided for hiding his nightmares, and from then on learnt not to use the sleeping charms. Instead, every night, Sirius or Remus would stay with him in his room through the night. They found that if one of them stayed and woke Harry up during the nightmare, it was better. They also convinced him to talk of what occurred in the nightmares, and the feelings of guilt, pain and sadness it provoked. They also found that with another presence in the room diluted the nightmares slightly. Slowly they worked through it, and Harry was able to get through the night without a nightmare a month into the summer.

During the days, once Harry had finished his school assignments, his guardians ensured he knew how to defend himself by teaching him advanced defensive and offensive magic, as well as some physical fighting techniques. Number 12 Grimmauld Place had such extensive wards and protection spells done on it that the Ministry would be unable to be alerted to underage magic being done. Though, that didn't matter regardless, as long as Harry was living with a magical guardian. The Ministry assumed that in a wizarding household that the adult would be performing the magic, and also keeping the child under supervision, and prevent them from using magic outside of school.

It also didn't help that the Ministry had taken a negative stance on 'the boy who lived', and degraded him publicly, as well as Dumbledore. Both guardians warned him that as the Ministry was planning on interfering with Hogwarts, and that a Ministry worker was being placed as Defence Against the Dark Arts professor, Harry would be best off keeping his head down to avoid the repercussions of the Ministry not believing his word that Voldemort had indeed returned.

Throughout Harry's fifth year, he was singled out more than any other, particularly by the Ministry, though he tried to heed his guardians' advice. However, he was punished unjustly for what he didn't do. He managed to keep his head under though, and prevent further detentions by not responding to the unveiled provoking by the Ministry official, Dolores Umbridge, Defence Professor.

In the detentions, Umbridge would provide Harry a quill which required no ink, and when Harry would write on the parchment provided, the words would appear on the back of his hand. It appeared the quill used his blood to write. Harry knew that this was wrong, and that teachers, no matter their level of authority, were not permitted to do this to students, but he kept silent, knowing that in the precarious position between the Order of the Phoenix and the Ministry of Magic, it would become another point which the Ministry would attempt to discredit Dumbledore, and in light of Voldemort's return, it would have disastrous repercussions in the soon-coming war.

Sirius and Remus realised that Harry had once again withdrawn to an extent through their daily conversations. When questioned, Harry just responded with "Too much school work," and it was believable as it happened to be the year the fifth years were sitting their OWL exams, which ensured a stressful school year.

Harry only ate minimal amounts of food, almost as little as he had after returning from the Dursleys, and he again suffered from nightmares, though this time, they were more emotionally painful as he didn't have his guardians to comfort him. They were evoked by the words Umbridge had said to Harry during his detentions. How due to his own fault, his guardians would leave him, that he had deserved his upbringing with the Dursleys, how the death of Cedric laid on his hands. As these were his deepest fears, the repetition of the words during each detention made the words create a seed of doubt which began flourishing under the repetition of Umbridge's words. This, in addition, to having to cut his own hand open, was more than he could stand. Yet, the detentions lasted so long and occurred so often he had begun to cut back severely on sleep to keep up with his school work load.

However, when Harry was brought home for Christmas, after the attack on Mr. Weasley, they realised it was much more serious, though Sirius and Remus still weren't able to get to the depth of the issue. So when Harry came home for Christmas, Sirius and Remus immediately recognised the incredible change in Harry from the summer, if Harry's much more quiet demeanour and withdrawn behaviour was not enough then the immense loss of weight and the large bags under Harry's eyes, indicating the lack of sleep certainly was. Harry had begun to be more quiet than usual during the school term, when whatever he said in the presence of Umbridge was twisted so to give her an excuse for detention, no matter the unjustness of the situation.

Sirius and Remus immediately took Harry aside, and confronted him, though unsuccessfully. Harry was determined to remain quiet about what he had endured, through the use of glamours covering his bandages on his hand, and by refusing to admit the true nature of his detentions. Harry believed the Order had enough to put up with, as it were, considering how the Ministry didn't believe that Voldemort was back, and thus making it that much more difficult for them to act. They didn't need to worry about small school issues surrounding him, and thus he kept quiet.

As Sirius and Remus realised that Harry would not reveal to them what had brought on the significant change in his behaviour, they attempted to bring him out of his withdrawn state, and were, to a certain extent, successful. They managed to get him to talk more, laugh, and generally uplift him. Harry's lack of appetite also improved as a result of constant encouragements and demands to eat more to regain his weight. He had been balancing precariously on the edge of a dangerously low weight.

However during the nights, Harry's nightmares would once again control his emotions, and thus Harry constantly used silencing charms, guessing correctly that either his guardians had removed them when he left for Hogwarts or they had worn off.

Though his guardians didn't voice their concerns again, they did observe how the bags under Harry's eyes indicated constant lack of sleep, and then, they confronted Harry during the night, when they suspected more silencing spells. They comforted him, allowing him to fall asleep peacefully for the first time in weeks, and resolved to, in the morning, talk to Harry.

The conversation the next morning involved Harry's guardians' severe verbal rebuke regarding the silencing spells. They forbid him from using them to hide his nightmares, and once again placed a monitoring charm to alert them should he disobey them and use silencing charms to quiet him through the night.

After a few days of staying up through part of the night to comfort Harry after his nightmares, Harry managed to improve, though he refused to talk of the content of the nightmares, knowing it would hurt them to hear of the insecurities he had regarding their relationship. The comfort, though, was something he craved, and it relaxed him, and fought some of his insecurities, as his guardians constantly displayed their affection for him as their charge.

When they dropped Harry off at King Cross' to return to Hogwarts, after Christmas, they ensured that Harry knew they would listen to him should he need someone and that they would be there immediately should he need their physical presence.

Harry was also alerted to the fact that he would begin to have Occlumency lessons to combat the dreams/visions he had as a result of his connection to Voldemort through his scar with his potions professor. Over the holidays Harry had also wondered if Mr. Weasley's attack was his fault as he had had the perspective of the snake through the vision. But when he voiced his guilt and concerns, his guardians had assured him that it was no such thing.

Harry was dreading the Occlumency lessons, as they would allow Professor Snape to witness the reality of his home life with the Dursleys, and things which he had pushed to the back of his mind. The lessons turned out to be emotionally exhausting, and causing him to have a even more build up of emotional turmoil within himself, as emotions of the events that had occurred many years ago resurfaced when the memory did during his lessons.

However, Harry knew these were necessary to prevent Voldemort's control over his person, and thus put in the effort, though the Occlumency lessons clashed with his many detentions, many of which he had to reschedule as a result of this. He attempted to eat as much as could at meals, to satisfy Sirius and Remus' requests, and questions without the necessity of lying, something he abhorred to do to the two people who had done so much for him. His sleeping issues, however, were becoming worse, due to the increased work load, as time drew closer to the OWLs, Quidditch, his detentions with Umbridge and Occlumency lessons with Professor Snape.

Quidditch was the only spot of relief, and freedom he had, and he savoured it while he could. His detentions were becoming steadily worse, the words long ago ceasing to heal and fade. Now, though, his skin was constantly inflamed, regardless of whether he was in detention or not, and Harry had to constantly wear glamours to prevent anyone seeing the result of his detentions. He also placed sleeping charms on his bed to prevent his dorm mates from waking in the night to his screaming due to the nightmares. Occlumency, despite the effort he was putting into it, remained with very little progress, something which Snape constantly gave him grief for. He practised but it didn't have much effect.

Snape was especially angry when he realised Harry had been having dreams shown to him by Voldemort without realising it for months. They were of a dark corridor, the same one in which Harry witnessed the snake attack on Mr. Weasley. Harry's curiosity on the matter was diminished, however, when he spoke to his guardians, and they told him not to worry.

One night, Harry had a vision in which both his guardians were captured in, and were being tortured in the Department of Mysteries. Abruptly when Harry woke up, he frantically called his guardians through the mirror, and was reassured that they were fine.

Harry's life went on as regularly, with his detentions taking a toll on him, and Occlumency failing to be of use against the dreams Voldemort planted in his head, when one day while walking in the corridor, from the library to the common room, just before curfew, after having sat his OWLs, he was ambushed from behind, and something was shoved into his hands.

It was a portkey. To the Department of Mysteries.

Harry, having always kept his mirror on his person, called his guardians immediately. They responded, albeit frantically, once realising the direness of the situation. A few seconds after Harry had replaced his mirror into his pockets, he was surrounded by Death Eaters.

They attempted to convince him to take hold of a prophecy regarding him and Voldemort and hand it over to them. Harry attempted to keep the talking going on long enough to give his guardians and the Order enough time to reach him. He knew that once the fighting started he would not have much of a chance, given that they outnumbered him, and that, despite his training, he had less experience than them.

The talking didn't last long. Once it came to wands, Harry was hit by the Cruciatus numerous times in between managing to take out a few Death Eaters. However, as they outnumbered him, they gained control. They attempted _Imperio_ but he had managed to break out of it in enough time to prevent touching the prophecy. The battle of the wands began once more, Harry having had a deep cut in his shoulder, in pain all over due to the several Cruciatus' cast on him, and becoming slower in his reactions, as he was beginning to tire.

The Order then arrived, and his Guardians took him out of the Ministry, but not before he was temporarily possessed by Voldemort. He managed to break free, with his guardians' voices guiding him, and they took him directly to Hogwarts to attend to his injuries. It took two days to do so.

Sirius and Remus, immensely relieved that he hadn't been hurt fatally, put forth every effort to not let Harry out of their sight. They went back home, to Grimmauld Place. Here, Harry was finally able to relax, without the strain of exams, Occlumency lessons or the constant detentions from Umbridge. However, this time the nightmares were much worse, combined with his most recent battle with Voldemort, as well as Umbridge's words. He didn't even attempt to place silencing charms this time round, knowing how furious his guardians would be, and allowed himself the comfort and support of his family.

Unfortunately for him, though, Sirius and Remus found out what had been occurring at Hogwarts all year. His detentions with Umbridge – at least the physical component.

Though Harry usually placed glamours over his hand to prevent anyone noticing the bandages, once away from the constant detentions, he no longer required the bandages, and removed the glamours, though the words were still visible. He figured that as the words would be seen only if once glanced carefully, he need not worry.

That was not the case, however.

During dinner one night, his guardians were paying close attention to his eating habits, as he had grown thinner once more, albeit not as much as last time. Remus glanced at Harry's hand as he was playing with his food, picking at it without really eating, and said, in a warning tone, "Harry."

By now Harry understood that such a tone during a meal usually meant that his guardians wanted him to eat more. So he picked up his fork with pasta speared on it, and as he raised his hand, Sirius glanced over. The light illuminated the writing on Harry's hand, the indents of the words carved into his skin. He grabbed Harry's hand immediately, and he paled significantly.

"Harry, who – did – this?" Sirius asked, with and angry undertone to his otherwise calm voice.

Remus spoke first though, confused as to what Sirius was referring to. "Who did what?"

Harry tried snatching his hand back, but Sirius held on tightly, and gestured to Remus to come closer. Harry struggled at first, until Sirius gave him a warning glance, at which he let him hold his hand, defeated.

Both guardians were attempting to control their reactions, but anger seeped into their voices when they said, simultaneously, "Who?"

"Umbridge," Harry whispered quietly, almost silently.

Remus placed a hand on Sirius, a silent warning to control his temper, though his own was close to erupting.

"Explain." Remus stated firmly, with no room for argument.

"The detentions she gave me, she had me write with a quill she gave me. When I wrote with it, the words that I wrote on the parchment appeared on my hand. I was writing with my blood." Harry said, quietly.

"How many detentions did she give you, and how often?" Remus asked.

At the same time, Sirius erupted, "Blood Quills! Damn it! She has been using blood quills on my godson!"

Harry answered Remus' questions with his head down, "Too many to count, and every second night most weeks. They lasted till about midnight each night."

"Harry why didn't you say something? Anything? To us? To Dumbledore?" Remus asked, softly.

"I didn't want to cause any more trouble for you. Don't think I don't know how the Order and the Ministry have been at differences because of me – because I said Voldemort was back. I didn't want to cause more trouble, especially when I can handle a little pain." Harry argued.

"Harry, I understand where you are coming from, but a person of authority such as a teacher is never allowed to make others mutilate a part of their body. You must understand that _no one_ has the right to do that. Blood quills are illegal, Harry, have been for many years. You should have come to us immediately. Do you understand?" Remus explained clearly.

"Yes, I do. I'm sorry." Harry replied sincerely.

"Harry, no more secrets. This is why you have become more withdrawn, the reason for your nightmares and lack of appetite, isn't it?" Sirius stated, more than asked, having calmed down a little.

"Yes, Sirius. I'm so sorry."

"Harry, you're not blaming yourself are you? Because under no circumstances are you to blame for this." Remus questioned sharply.

Harry just shrugged, giving his guardians all they needed to know he did blame himself.

"That's not all she did, is it?" Sirius asked, having taken into consideration all of Harry's behaviour every time he had seen him through the year.

"She – She said some things. Like I deserved the Dursleys treatment of me. That you would leave me, once you realised how bad I was." Harry mumbled, ashamed that he had let her words affect him.

There was a shocked pause, and then both guardians were hugging their charge fiercely.

"Of course we wouldn't, Harry!" Sirius reassured him.

"I swear, I'm going to take her to court, or better yet, kill her," Remus growled, unable to control himself anymore.

"Please, no! I know what she did was wrong, but I don't want to cause any more trouble." Harry exclaimed.

"Harry, we have to. I will not let her get away with physically and emotionally harming you." Sirius promised.

"Harry, we will work through this, but she will get what is coming to her." Remus said, while gathering Harry into his arms, as though a small child, though Harry did not mind. He carried Harry to his room, and placed him in his bed, running his fingers through Harry's hair, knowing it relaxed him, no matter what. Sirius transformed into his animagus dog form, and curled up next to Harry. Harry began running through Sirius' fur, albeit, wearily, as Remus' fingers combing through his hair relaxed him to the point of drowsiness.

Harry fell asleep, knowing that he was safe and loved, surrounded by those who loved him unconditionally. His guardians would protect him, and provide comfort, should he need it. Needless to say, Harry had a peaceful night of sleep, with a content smile spread across his face.


End file.
